Arrest made in 26-year-old cold case

U.S. Marshals arrested a woman in connection with the 26-year-old cold-case stabbing death of a college student, according to Kansas City, Kan., police.

Carolyn Heckert, 48, was taken into custody Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder.

Earlier this year, police announced that their main suspect was a "romantic rival" of Sarah De Leon, who vanished Dec. 29, 1989, after leaving her boyfriend's house in the early morning hours.

According to NBC News, her body was discovered along the railroad tracks in Kansas City, Kan., the next morning.

She was stabbed multiple times and suffered a head injury, authorities said.

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De Leon's car was found just a mile from her home. There were no signs of a struggle or of sexual assault, and the murder weapon was never recovered.

According to NBC News, there was so little blood at the scene, investigators believe De Leon was killed somewhere else before her body was moved to the railroad tracks.

The case went completely cold for more than 20 years, but a few years ago, authorities reopened it.

Police officials announced at a news conference in May that they had a suspect in De Leon's murder. They said they think her murder might be linked to the 1994 killing of another woman, Diana Ault, in Independence, Mo.

Though no charges have been filed in connection with Ault's case, authorities say both women's deaths were motivated by romantic rivalry.